A challenging work environment: the lived experiences of Eswatini diagnostic radiographers in the public health sector

Abstract

Diagnostic radiographers play a vital role in healthcare so it is important for senior management to understand radiographer's duties and work experiences. There has been a number of studies con- ducted on the experiences of radiographers in other countries like the United Kingdom and South Africa. From these studies a number of work place challenges were identified. In the Eswatini healthcare con- text, there has been no research conducted on the daily experiences of diagnostic radiographers working in Eswatini. The country's leader- ship aims to attain its Vision 2022 which focusses on the attainment of the millennium development goals. This vision affects all health- care professions so for it to be successful, it is imperative to understand what it means to be a diagnostic radiographer working in the country of Eswatini. This paper aims to address this gap in literature. Aim: The aim of this paper is to explore and describe the lived ex- periences of Eswatini diagnostic radiographers working in the public health sector. Methods: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and phenomenolog- ical design was utilised. Participants were purposively sampled within the public health sector. Diagnostic radiographers participated volun- tarily and willingly consented to participate in focus group interviews ( n = 18). Results: A challenging work environment emerged as a principal theme from the participants narratives with 6 sub-themes namely: Lack of resources and consumables, Shortage of radiographers, Ab- sence of radiologists, Lack of proper radiation monitoring and safety, Poor remuneration, Stagnant professional growth. Conclusions: The findings of this study provided new insights into what Eswatini radiographers are experiencing in the public health sec- tor. It is evident that there are a number of challenges which need to be addressed by the Eswatini management in order to successfully im- plement Vision 2022. Based on this study, there is the potential for a future study on the development of a professional identity for radiog- raphers in Eswatini.